Not only did they win the key heatset web offset printing category – for the RM Williams Spring/Summer catalogue – but more gold medals followed for their own promotional booklet… and as the evening continued, two of the key sponsor awards were added to their tally.

The company took out the Heidelberg award for excellence in craft and the PaperlinX award for outstanding excellence for its ‘Capabilities’ self-promotional piece. Avon Graphics, whose embellishment work contributed to the RM Williams job – was also a key player in the self-promotion booklet, which won embellishment and self-promotion gold medals. Designed by Cumming Agency & Studios, it included a variety of stocks from suppliers including K W Doggett Fine Paper, Focus Paper, Network Marketing and CPI Paper.

Sydney-based IPMG stablemate Hannanprint NSW also took gold – for an issue of ‘Masterchef’ for News Magazines – in the category for web-offset publications with a cover price. Prepress was by IPMG member Sinnott Bros, with Sappi’s Somerset gloss used for the job.

The coldset web gold went to West Australian Newspapers for an edition of the flagship Perth daily ‘West Australian’, printed on Nornews stock.

Some 30 gold, 36 silver and 29 bronze medals awarded to printers from all over Australia in categories spanning offset, flexo, web-offset and digital print, packaging and labels, binding and finishing.

“This year’s awards proves we just keep on getting better at producing high quality print,” says NPA chairman, John Wanless, “but with increasing competition from other media, awards such as the NPA are important to demonstrate the continued effectiveness and sustainability of print as a medium.”